LIVINGSTON, Ala. - West Alabama women's basketball team started strong but couldn't hold off Montevallo in a 70-60 Gulf South Conference loss at Pruitt Hall on Saturday.

The Tigers led by as many as 12 points in the first quarter, finishing the period with a 21-11 advantage, but Montevallo's resilience and second-half surge proved too much to overcome.

Montevallo's Lia Edwards led the Falcons with a standout performance, scoring 26 points on 7-of-13 shooting, including a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc and 9-of-11 from the free-throw line. Isabel Grimes and Aubrey Sorrells each contributed 18 points, with Grimes adding seven rebounds. Montevallo's efficiency from the charity stripe (81.8%) and strong fourth-quarter shooting (53.85%) were pivotal in sealing the win.

West Alabama's Kendall Lacoste led the Tigers with 18 points, hitting two of her team's five three-pointers. Shayla Golden came off the bench to add 12 points and seven rebounds, while Kaedre Denson recorded a double-double with 10 points and a team-high 13 rebounds. Despite the Tigers' dominance in the paint with 38 points and 14 second-chance points, their struggles at the free-throw line (33.3%) and turnovers (15) hampered their efforts.

The Falcons outscored the Tigers 26-14 in the final quarter, erasing a five-point deficit entering the last 10 minutes. Montevallo's ability to convert turnovers into 16 points and capitalize on their fast-break opportunities (12 points) made the difference in a game that saw six ties and ten lead changes.

The Tigers (2-12, 2-8 GSC) will look to bounce back on Saturday, January 18th, as they hit the road to face Alabama-Huntsville at 2 p.m. Meanwhile, Montevallo improved to 6-8 overall and 4-5 in the conference.